The Santa Cruz Jay 



recorded spots where the jaybird doth dwell Santa Cruz Island is un- 

 doubtedly the choicest. Here is Blue Jay paradise. And the Jay of 

 Santa Cruz is almost an angel? Well, no; but he is somewhat less an 

 imp. Early isolated from his mainland fellows, by what happy chance 

 we know not, in an equable climate, with abundant and varied food, and 

 measurably secure from human persecution, the Santa Cruz Island Jay 

 has become a more beautiful, a more robust, and a much more demure 

 bird than its co-type, A. calif ornica. This gem of the islands belongs to 

 him by unquestioned title, and he has no need to defend his claim by 

 frantic protest or scurrilous abuse. 



This demure quality shows itself to best advantage when his nest 

 is threatened, for it is then, if ever, that a bird's soul is tried. Yet I 

 have spent an hour beside a nestful of jay babies with never a word of 

 protest from the closely attendant parents, beyond a mellow, and almost 

 inaudible choop choop. This, and the sound of pecking on tree limbs, 

 for even this gentle bird employs this familiar corvine device for relieving 



Taken on Santa Cruz Island 



Photo by the A uthor 



A PATIENT MODEL 



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